Few things represent the history and cultural diversity in Mexico as much as gastronomy. Considered an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO, Mexican cuisine is not only found in cookbooks or restaurants, but also on the tables of the country’s more than 127 million inhabitants. In Mexico, food fulfills more than just a nutritional purpose - it is an essential element of many local festivities and a fundamental part of social gatherings with friends and family. The food industry of this Latin American country mirrors its peoples’ traditional approach to everyday meals, with some of the favorite local dishes such as tacos and quesadillas enjoyed as much at home, as they are in restaurants or street-food establishments.
Corn as a staple
Corn is the most eaten staple among Mexican consumers. It is the base ingredient of tortillas, a type of slim flatbread and, one of the most representative and widely consumed food products in the country, used for the preparation of tacos, quesadillas, and other dishes. In 2021, tortilla sales in Mexico reached a value comparable to that of dairy at more than 61 billion Mexican pesos.
Along with tortillas, meat is the main ingredient in most tacos. One of the most popular tacos, tacos al pastor, uses pork marinated in a special chili sauce. This kind of taco is particularly known for being cooked on a vertical rotisserie, similar to its distant cousins, shawarma and kebab. Poultry, beef, and occasionally even seafood are other common fillings in tacos. Following a high demand for meat, animal slaughtering and processing generates over two and a half times more sales value than the tortilla or the dairy industries.
Other key ingredients
Fresh produce is also vital to Mexico’s food culture, with green chili ranking as the country’s most consumed vegetable per capita. Sauce, in Spanish called salsa, accompanies most dishes. There are many different sauces, but some basic ingredients such as tomato, green tomato, onions, and a variety of chilis are staple in most Mexican kitchens. Other favorites include avocados, beans, and nopales, a local species of cactus. Citruses such as limes and oranges are widely eaten, and tropical fruits like banana, mango, and pineapple, are also common choices.
Popular brands and companies
Food companies in Mexico adapt to these local preferences, with brands such as La Costeña, Herdez, and Doña María offering a wide variety of sauces and canned chilis. The leading food brands in terms of consumer reach, however, specialize in starches: Bimbo, from the multinational company Grupo Bimbo, is known for bakery products, and La Moderna produces pasta. Grupo Bimbo, along with other corporations such as FEMSA and Sigma Alimentos, is one of the leading companies in the food and beverage market, reporting a net income of close to 47 billion Mexican pesos in 2022.
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